The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-03-27
CLARA BELLIES LETTER.
A NEW IDEA ABOUT BUSTLES
AND COAT TAILS.
Agnes Fleming, the Rich Story
Teller, Who Died aud Left a
Fortune in Dispute.
NEW STYLE OF PARIS GLOVES OF
UNDRESSED KID.
Mary FOrtescue Sees Bernhardt-
Why Women Cannot Take on
Their bats.

utIT DulS.
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS or TIE APPEAL.
New York, March 25.-Young
Mrs. Waldorf Astor has set new
fashion for the bellies of high society.
1t is based on an aesthetic, intellect
ual, exquisitely cultured idea, and
all the women in that particular cir
Gle are already obeying it. "Show
no consciousness of your hustle. I"
That is the mandate. In other and
more explanatory words, do not be,
tray the fact that you are in the least
anxious about that abuormally de-
velOped and easily displaced appur-
tenance of your costume.
How do you know he isn't a gen
tleman?" asked somebody of Mrs.
John Bigelow, as that eccentric wife
of an ex- Governor commented on a
chap at recent reception.
Because he parts his coat tails
when he sits down" was the reply.
What she meant was that a true
gentleman should appear so unaware
of his clothes that in taking a seat
he would not spread aside the skirts
of his coat to save them from getting
wrinkled. That is the doctrine en-
bodied in Mrs. Astor's innovation.
The belle must not adjust the dra-
peries of her tournure so much as
by the slightest pat or the most OBJ.
scure adjustment. The amended
rule was first observed in operation
at the big dinner given at Mi Careme
by Mrs. Astor, and by the time
Easter brings out new toilets it will
be in full force among our swells.
Who shall say that minute knowl-
edge OF fashions changeful customs
is not worth while, when May Agnes
Fleming got rich by that means? She
died year or more ago, leaving a
fortune, over which a fight has just
arisen in the courts. She was a
writer of stories for one Of The cheap
papers. | asked a publisher in that
field how, when morbid fiction is so
plenty, Mrs. Fleming accumulated
wealth.
"Priucipally by making a study of
the ways of rich and fashionable
folks, was his reply. "She had a
knack of coDceiving good plots for
stories calculated to interest women
and girls; but so have hundreds OF
amateur novelists, whose work may
be had almost for the asking. DIFF
ferent from them, she took the pains
to learn accurately and fully how
women in the best of society be-
haved, and she made her swell
heroines conform thereto. In that
way, she produced imaginary ladies
who were true to realism. She kept
them right up to the times. | have
known her, in recasting one of her
old stories for fresh publication, to
altar not only the costume of the
heroine, but to change her tricks of
manner to suit new usageE OF society.
Some of her readers may not have
this, but the editors did,
and it vastly enhanced her in their
estimation, and doomed her along to
popularity"
And how much pay did she get?'
"At the time of her death she was
under contract TO write ten stories
for $4,000. They were to be pro-
duced at the rate Of two year, thus
her income $4,000 per an
mum"
How many hundreds of women
with literary bent will take up
their pens, with convulyive enthusi- |
asm, on reading those figures?
1.-The Ladies Fencing Glass of the |
Fencer's Club, is the long name of |
the latest association of New York |
fashionable girls for purposes of ex-
ercise. 1t is a sort Of inside organi- |
cation of the Fencers Club, which |
has its home at No. 10 Twenty fourth |
street, and is composed solely of rela
tives and sweethearts of the male
fencers. Capt. Nicholas, the expert,
gives to them the benefit of all he
knows, and on three days week, |
from 10 clock until 2o'clock, the
practice room is sacred to feminine
shrieks aud giggles, to skirts
and Turkish trousers. In
the class are some of the best
knows bellies of fashion in the city.
The names of Lorillard, Vanderbilt
and Astor are among the first on the
list. The limit decided upon for
membership has already been
reached and the ladies have gone
to work in very business like earn
est, getting themselves organized,
officers, appointing com
mittees and otherwise making them
selves into an actual club. They |
have not adopted special costume,
but each dresses TO suit herself.
Some still cling to skirts, though
made fuller and shorter than usual; |
some have falteringly clothed them
selves in Turkish trousers, blouses
and perhaps the addition of very
much abbreviated skirt; still others
have put on Mrs. Langtry's costume
of Jersey waist and loose trousers.
While engaged in actual exercise, all |
wear thick leather armor, protecting |
the front of the body, with holes for |
the arms to go through and tied |
down the back. This addition to
the costume is neither beautiful nor
,but for beginners in
fencing it is highly necessary to save
the fair form from puncture.